Innovations

Innovations of the optoelectronic switchgear programme
Safety light curtains and light grids for extreme applications.
The Schmersal Group extends its programme of optoelectronic safety guards through the acquisition of Safety Control GmbH and Safety Protec GmbH, located at Mühldorf/ Inn. These companies, which will trade under the name of Schmersal Safety Control GmbH from now on, will become the Centre of Competence for optoelectronic safety switchgear of the company group.

The series, which are integrated as innovations in the programme, include - amongst other things - the most compact safety light grid of the world for control category 4. Other highlights of the programme are designs for very rough ambient conditions or hygiene-sensitive applications, e.g. the SLC/SLG 220 IP69K and SLC/SLG IP69K series.

These safety guards are available with protection class IP 69 K. This means that even when 80°C hot water from high-pressure cleaners is sprayed onto the device at high pressure from all sides, no humidity can penetrate into the enclosure. In this way, the devices are suitable for use e.g. in hygiene-sensitive and -critical fields of the food-processing industry.

These devices therefore feature a comprehensive and varied range of application. In food technology, many cutters, slicers, grinders and mixers as well as packaging plants are used. Here it must be ensured that the machine is immediately stopped when the operator enters the hazardous area. This requirement can be met with the SLC/SLG 220 IP69K and SLC/SLG 420 IP69K series, without the need for installing a separating mechanical safety guard.

The SLC 220 IP69K safety light curtains are available with protected field heights from 175 to 1675 mm and resolutions of 30 and 80 mm. For the SLC 420 IP69K series, these values are 170 to 1770 mm (protected field heights) and 14 and 30mm (resolution).

The devices meet the requirements for type 2 (SLC 220) or type 4 (SLC 420) to EN 61 496-1/2. This also applies to the SLG 220 IP69K and SLG 420 IP69K safety light grids, which are available with two, three or four light beams and which are suitable for ranges from 0.3 up to 30 meters.

All series are equipped with additional safety functions, such as an integrated start/restart interlock and integrated contactor monitoring. The blanking function, which is also integrated, enables blanking (i.e. fading out) a part of the protected field, without triggering a stop signal. In this way, objects can be fed into the machine through a conveyor, without the safety guard being triggered. The type 4 version SLC 420 IP69K additionally is equipped with a floating blanking function, which enables a flexible blanking of up to two adjacent light beams in the protected field of the light curtain.

The status indication and the signalling output provide for transparency, the integrated self-test for additional production safety. The safety light curtains and light grids can be adapted to the individual application through an integrated diagnostic and parameter setting interface.

Schmersal Ltd
Sparrowhawk Close
Enigma Park
Malvern
Worcestershire
WR141GL
Tel - 01684 571980
Fax - 01684 560273

 Innovations

12.04.2010 
 For universal applications: new safety-monitoring modules more
12.04.2010 
 Safety light grids with teach-in function for blanking more
12.04.2010 
 Robust position switches with safety function for the Ex zones 1 and 21 more
12.04.2010 
 Safety Consulting: Schmersal present new portfolio of services more
10.04.2010 
 Solenoid interlock for safety guards with overlapping more
19.03.2010 
 New universally applicable safety-monitoring modules more
24.11.2009 
 Compact position switch with safety function Z/T 196 more
24.11.2009 
 New technology in a familiar jacket - CSS 16 more
23.11.2009 
 Position switch with remote reset ZSM 476 more
16.11.2009 
 New technology in a familiar jacket - CSS 16 more